PERHAPS some people missed Ernán López Nussa’s presence during the International Cubadisco 2012 Festival gala awards ceremony held May 19 in the Karl Marx Theater, when his album Veinte pianos, which includes tracks from different stages of his career, was honored with the competition’s Grand Prize

The fact is that, at precisely this same time, the composer of ‘El blues de Wendy’ was finishing up his group’s tour in the city of Florence, in no less than the celebrated British musician Sting’s Italian home.

"This presentation was very special, not just because it was on the last day of the program, but also because it happened while I was at Sting’s house, and to my even greater surprise, he joined the trio to sing "Englishman in New York", Ernán wrote to this reporter via e-mail, before undertaking the long trip back to Havana.

The meeting with the legendary leader of The Police was intense and took on another dimension with the presentation of the Grand Prize which recognized Ernán’s recording as the most important in Cuba this year. He commented, "I see this disc as the beginning of a new stage in my life, more tied to teaching, to instruction, to the fervent desire for a better understanding, for everyone, of music, of art, of life."

The founder of the group Afrocuba and the composer of such far-reaching works as Habana Report, Ernán reported feeling gratified with the finished disc, in which he freely shares his knowledge, his conceptions and a very personal focus on musical creation, the same one he has defended since he took his first steps as a pianist in Cuban music. "I am super-satisfied. This is the work of many people, no doubt about it. All of us who participated in making the CD did so with the same effort and desire to make it a reality," he said.

Participating in the album released by Colibrí studios were 18 pianists who took Ernán’s works and returned them, creatively reflecting the infinite possibilities they contain. The CD is accompanied by a small book with tracks for children and youth composed by the prize-winning pianist, along with other pieces from his repertory specifically designed for conservatories on the island.

The artist continued, "The encounter with the musicians was spectacular. There were 18 talented pianists who recorded one after the other. It was, undoubtedly, one of the great pleasures of my life."

With the release of the album, Ernán shed light on one of the principal characteristics of his creative personality, reflected in his close collaboration with new generations of Cuban musicians. "I think that anything dedicated to the development of youth is always laudable. If all who participate make the effort to give their best, there’s no doubt that some kind of reward will always be forthcoming. •

Ernán Lopéz Nussa (Foto: Otmaro Rodríguez)

GRAND PRIZE CUBADISCO 2012; Veinte pianos, música de Ernán López Nussa, varios intérpretes (Colibrí)

EXTRAORDINARYGRAND PRIZE: Chucho’s steps, Chucho Valdés y los Mensajeros Afrocubanos (Colibrí)

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Ernán López Nussa

COMPOSER OF THE YEAR: Alfredo Diez Nieto

PRIZES BY CATEGORY

Contemporary Dance Music: Acabaíto de nacer, David Calzado y su Charanga Habanera (EGREM). Traditional Popular Music: La trova de siempre, Quinteto Criollo (Colibrí). Archival Music: Orígenes, Eduardo Ramos & Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC (Colibrí). Compilation: Hágase la luz, Frank Fernández & collaborators (EGREM). Anthology: Yolinho habanero, Yolo Bonilla (Bis Music/D’Isidor Records). Singer-Songwriter: La luz es música, Tammy López Moreno (Ojalá). Trova: …en tierra (Bis Music), Tony Ávila. Fusion Trova: Pi 3,14, Buena Fe (EGREM). Latin Music: Mala, Haila (Bis Music). Testimony: Las estrellas del folclor, Los Hermanos Arango (Bis Music). Reguetón: Hay kola loka pa’ rato, Kola Loka (Bis Music). Rap: Kminos, Coninuo (Escucha Records). Folkloric Music: Las estrellas del folclor, Los Hermanos Arango (Bis Music). Jazz: Travesía, Iván Melón Quinteto (Casa Unión).

Instrumental Music: Duetto, Germán Velazco & Jorge Reyes (Bis Music). Vocal Instrumental Music: Orozco Jamm, César Orozco & la Kamerata Jazz (Guataca Producciones). Fusion: Reverse, X Alfonso (Fábrica de Arte). Pop: Del viento soy, Adiané Perera (self-produced). Pop Rock: Bitácora, Extraño Corazón (Bis Music). Metal: La hora de la verdad, Escape (Ma’bulla / Brutal Beat Down/Agencia Cubana del Rock). Chamber Music: Nueve visiones, José María Vitier & collaborators (Colibrí). Concert Music: Integral de la obra de Carlos Fariñas para guitarra y laúd, Joaquín Clerch (Colibrí). Concert Soloist: El álbum de la ciudad celeste, Darío Martín (Colibrí). Opera: Canten los poetas. Música de Roberto Valera, Bárbara Llanes & Mayté Aboy (Colibrí). Choral Music: Entrevoces, Digna Guerra & the Entrevoces Choir (Colibrí).

Sound track: El premio flaco, Camerata Romeu, Amaury Ramírez Malberti (ICAIC). Children’s Music: Trocacuentos, Rosa Campo. (Bis Music) Instructional: Veinte pianos, Obras de Ernán López Nussa (Colibri). Stories for children: Los cazadores de cuentos/Cuentos de Pinar del Río, Kiki Corona, Élsida González & Caridad Martínez (EGREM). DVD for children: El concertazo de la Cucarachita Martina, La Colmenita (EGREM). First Works: Variaciones, Maykel Cuartet (Centro Pablo de la Torriente). Documentary: Revelaciones, Ileana Rodríguez (Colibrí). Making of: Más allá del ocaso, Léster Hamlet (Colibrí). CD/DVD: Veinte pianos, Ernán López Nussa and Ileana Rodríguez (Colibrí).

Graphic Design: Idania del Río and Carlos Merino for Sueños del pequeño Quin (Colibrí). Multimedia. Guille Vilar and Ediciones Cubarte for Aquí se enciende la candela (Cubarte). Audiovisual Concert: Javier Limón for Travesías (Casa Limón). Video clip: Alejandro Pérez for Angry boy /Sexto Sentido (Sexto Récords). Cover note: Natalia Bolívar for Las estrellas del folclor (Bis Music). Musicology notes: Ana Casanova for Violinesque (Colibrí). Recording: Giraldo García for Ay, la vida (Colibrí). Live recording: Jaime Canfux and Olimpia Calderón for Variaciones (Centro Pablo de la Torriente).